Mouthpiece attachment for telephone-transmitters.



APPLICATION FILED AUG. 12, 1909.

Patented Sept. 1, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

THE NORRIS PETERS CO. FHOTU-LITHCL, WASHINGTUN. D. C.

P. c. BURNS. MOUTHPIBGE ATTACHMENT FOR TELEPHONE TRANSMITTERS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 12, 1909.

Patented Sept. 1, 1914.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

THE NORRISTFETERS co.. PHOTO-LIE'HQ, WASHINGTON, D. C.

UNITED STATES "PATENT onnion.

PETER C. BURNS, OF CHICAGO,

COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CO RPORATION' OF ILLINOIS.

ILLINOIS, ASSIG-NOR TO THE AMERICAN ELECTRIC MOUTHPIECE ATTACHMENT FORTELEPHONE-TRANSMITTERS.

Application filed August 12, 1909. Serial No. 512,497.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, PETER C. BURNS, a

citizen of the United States of America,and. resident of Chicago,Cookcounty, Ill1no1s,

these metal fittings for connection with the transmitter have not beenentirely satisfactory, as they have been of a character that failed toinsure a rigid and rellable connection with the mouth pieceof thetransmit ter. In many casesthe glassmouth piece has not been properlyfastened in place, and

r as a result has become displaced and broken .Furthermore, thetelephone transmitters now in use are of many different makes andpatterns, and a glass mouthpiece that will fit one will not always fitanother. For en ample, the openings in the front plates oftransmittersare of various'sizes, and this has caused some trouble. Someattempt has been made to provide the glass mouth pieces with fittingsadapted to adjust themselves automatically to the openings of trans-,lnitters, regardless of slight variations 1n the size of said openings,but these have not been entirely satisfactory.

The object of my .inventionis, therefore,-

the provision of an improved attachable mouth piece for telephonetransmitters, the same being made preferably of glass or other similarmateriahwhereby it may be easily maintained in a sanitary condition, andprovided with a metal fitting having provisions for establishing a'solid and perfectly rigid screw-threaded connection with the front plateof the transmitter- I It'is also an object of my invention to provide animproved arrangement, involving a threaded and tapered coupling,wherebya mouth piece of glass or other similar material, of the generalcharacter specified, may be readily and securely attached totransmitters having openings of different sizes in the front platesthereof;

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 1, 1914.

To the foregoing and other useful ends,

my invention consists in matters hereinafter set forth and claimed. 7 Inthe accompanying drawingsFigure1 1s a side elevation of aglass mouthpiece embodying the principles of my invention,

showing the front plate of the transmitter outside view of the insect-ion. Fig. 2 is an metal coupling for the said mouth piece. Fig. isa longitudinal section of the said coupl ng, Fig. 1 is an end view ofthe said COHPlIIIg. F ig. 5 is a sectional view ofa different form ofmouth piece. Fig. ,6shows a -form of coupling adapted for the mouthpiece of Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is an end view of the coupling shown in Fig. 6.Fig. 8 is a longitudinal section of; the coupling shown in Fig. 6; Fig.9 shows another form of coupling, the adjacent portions of the: mouth.

piece and front plate being shown in sec tion, andthe said couplingalsobeingshown 1n section. Fig. 10 is an outside view of-the couplingshown in Fig. 9. Fig. 11 is an end view of the coupling shown in Fig. 9.'Fig. 12 shows a form of coupling like that shown in Fig. 9, except thatthe threaded portion is Fig. 13 y of coupling, the same being attachedto the outside of the tapered instead of being straight. shows stillanother form mouth piece. Fig. 14 shows the same kind of a coupling,secured to the inside of the mouth piece. Fig. 15 is a sectional viewshowing still another form of coupling. Fig. 16 is an end view of oneportion of the "coupling shown in Fig. 15..- Fig. 17 is an end view oftheother portion of said coupling. Figs. lSand 19 are, respectively, alongitudinal and cross section, showing still another form of myinvention. Figs.'20 and 21 are similar views. showing another form ofmyinvention. Figs. 22 and 28 are l similar views, showing 'still anotherform of my invention. Figs. 24am 25 are similar views showing anotherform of my invention. I Referring to Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4, theconstruction is as follows: The mouthpiece A 1 is preferably made ofglass, and is formed with externalthreads at its smaller end, the I saidthreads being rounded and wide apart. The coupling B is of sheet metaland provided with a larger portion 7) having threads stamped or pressedtherein, which threads are adapted to engage the threads on the mouthpiece. The smaller end por than those of the other portion; -Attheextrcme end of said threaded or tapered end portlon the metal-IStLlIIlQd back and extends across the interior thereof, so as to form adiaphragm or wall 79 which wall is provided with perforations b and aslot b for a screw driver. The tapered and externally threaded portion 5is adapted to be inserted into the threaded opening in'the front plate Cof the transmitter, and by reason of the tapered formation slightvariations in the size of said opening will make no difference, so faras an effective connection of the mouth piece with the transmitter isconcerned. If the said opening is comparatively small, then the saidtapered or screw threaded portion 5 will 'not enter very far through thesaid opening. If,however, the said opening be larger, thenthe saidtapered or screw-threaded portion will enter much farther, as itnecessarily will have to be screwed in farther in order to secure a firmhold on the front plate of the transmitter.

Referring to Figs. 5, 6, 7 and 8, the con ,struction is substantiallythe same as that shown in Fig. 1, with the exceptionthat the coupling Dis constructed to screw inside of the mouthpiece, rather than upon theoutside of the same.

InFigs. 9, 10 and 11, the construction is as follows: The mouth" piece Eis formed internally withthe shoulder e, and the coupling F is pressedinto shape and formed of sheet -metal. The formation of said 'couplingis such that it has a doubled-overportion providing a flange or rim 7adapted to seat against the shoulder -e.' The outer end of said couplinghas a diaphragm 7" provided with apertures and a screw driver opening,like those shown in Fig. 4. The

threaded portion 7 of said coupling is straight, rather than tapered,and is adapted to be screwed into the threaded opening-of thev frontplate of the transmitter, as shown more clearly in Fig. 9.

In Fig. 12, the construction is substantially the same as that shown inFig.- 9, except that the coupling G has a tapered threaded portion 9,instead ofastraight threaded portion.

In Fig. 13, the construction-isas follows The mouth piece H is formedexternally with'a shoulder h. The coupling I is made of sheet metal,pressed into the proper shape, and has an attaching portion ithat iscompressed upon the shoulder k, in the manner shown. The said couplinghas a tapered threaded portion 2', like those already described, and hasan apertured diaphragm '6 like that shown-in Fig.4.

In Fig. 14.the construction issimilar to that shown. in Fig. 13, exceptthat in this case the coupling. is secured inside of the mouth piece,rather than upon the outside thereof, the attachment being effected bymeans of lugs J which are doubled over to engage an internal shoulder Kformed on the interior of the mouth piece. v

In Figs. 15, 16 and 17, the construction is as follows: The mouth pieceL has a shoulder Z, like that shown in Fig. 14:. The

coupling is made in'two pieces, one piece M being provided with meansfor engaging the shoulder Z, and having an apertured dia-- phragm'm,as'shown more clearly in Fig.

16. The outer portion N of "the said coupling has a tapered andexternally threaded portion a adapted "to be screwed into the frontplate. of the transmitter. This portion N isalso provided with lugs n"which are inserted through apertures in the diaphragm m and then bentover to secure the portion N in place.'

I In Figs. 14 and 15, the mouth piece has a flange or disk 0 clampedupon the end thereof bythe couit will be noted that pling. In Fig. .13,the said flange or plate 0 is disposed against the shoulder formed 011*the coupl ng, 1n the manner shown, and 15' adapted to' b'earaga'inst'the outside of the" front plate of the transmitter.

In Figs. 18 and19 the construction is as follows: The mouthpiece Pisprovided internally with a'shoulder p. The coupling Q I ismade of sheetmetal and provided with'an apertured diaphragm having an opening for ascrew driver. "The inner end of said coupling has a springq', and itsouter end portion Q2 is tapered and threaded externally, like thosepreviously described. hen adjusted in place, the outer end portions ofthe spring engage hold the coupling .in place.

'I :In Figs. 20 and 21', the construction is similar to that showninFigs. 18 and with certain'dif'ferences as follows: In this case themouthpiece has an annular groove" Rl around the interionthereof. ThecouplingS has an exterior groove s extending circumferentially thereof.The "ring-like spjringT is deposited in place in the groove 3 and isadapted to'sprin'g outwardly to engage the groove It when the couplingis inserted in the mouthpiece.

the shoulder 79 and 19, but

. In Figs. 18 and 20, it will be'seen that the construction is such thatthe coupling can be readily released from the mouthpiece,

and is such that the coupling can be screwed into the front plate of thetransmitter. Then the mouth piece can'be slipped over the said couplingand'the spring on said coupling will hold the mouth piece in place. Thusy the coupling can be attached separately, and

the mouthpiece afterward.

In Figs. 22. and 23,the mouthpiece is of the same formationshowninFigs.18 and 20, and the coupling is substantially the same formation, withcertain differences as follows: In this case the inner end of thecoupling is provided with lugs U having pins to inserted therethroughand extending outwardly therefrom. The mouth piece is providedinternally with grooves V, which grooves are cut through the internalflange forming the shoulder on the interior of the mouth piece. Thecoupling is adjusted in such manner that the pins 10 pass through thegrooves V. When the shoulder IN on the coupling engages theend of themouth piece, sothat the pins u are inside of the shoulder of the saidmouth piece, then the coupling is revolved to bring the said pins out ofline with the said grooves. Thus a slight turn of the coupling issufficient to enable the mouth-piece to be removed from the coupling. Itwill be .seen that the shoulder w is also present in the structure shownin Figs. 12 and 20. The same kind of a shoulder is shown in Fig. 8, andalso in Fig. 15. p

In Figs. 24 and 25, the mouth-piece WV is exactly like the one shown inFigs. 22 and 23. The coupling X islike the one shown in Figs. 18 and 19.Different means, however, are shown for holding the mouth-piece inplace. In this case the coupling has a center screw as that holds aclamping bar at in place to engage the shoulder w on the mouth-piece.The coupling X has lugs 00 that engage in notches w in the mouthpiece,whereby the latter can be used for screwing the coupling into thetransmitter.

In all cases, therefore, I provide a glass mouth-piece, and a metalfitting or coupling therefor, which coupling has an externally threadedportion adapted to be screwed into the front plate of a transmitter.Preferably, this threaded portion of the coupling is tapered, so that itwill engage and effectively secure the mouth-piece in openings ofdifierent sizes. Any and all of the said couplings may have slots forthe. screw drivers, such as the slot 6* shown in Fig. 4;. Thus thecoupling need not be rigidly securedto the mouth-piecethat is to say, itcan be so attachedthat themoutlrpiece and coupling are adapted to turnor rotate relatively to each other. In this way the glass mouth-piececan be securely fastened to the transmitter, and the said mouth-piececan then rotate freely without danger of loosening the coupling. Inother words, the user of the telephone. cannot rotate the mouthpiece andthereby disconnect it from the transmitter. The threaded connection,whether straight or tapered, serves effectually to prevent the rotation,of the cou pling, except by a screw driver or other instrument. So faras the broad idea of the threaded coupling is concerned, however, theconnection between the coupling and mouth-piece may be perfectly rigid,so that neither one can turn relatively to the other. In other words, Iconsider it preferable to leave the mouth-piece free to rotate, so thatit cannot be used for rotating the coupling, but without this featurethe screw threaded portion can be so tightly screwed into the frontplate ofthe transmitter that the danger of the mouth-piece becomingdislodged and brokenis reduced to a minimum.

My improved mouthpiece, of any of the difi'erent forms shown, can bemanufactured as apart of the transmitter. Or, if desired, and as isoften necessary, it may be used as an attachment for transmittersalready made and in, use. In other words, a glass mouthpiece is a thingthat may be soId to the users of telephones, and in such case isessentially in the nature of an attachment. VViththe forms of couplingsshown in Figs. 3 and 8, as well as those shownin Figs. 18, 20 and 22,the glass mouth-piece can be removed from the transmitter withoutremoving the coupling. In this way the said mouth-piece can be readilytaken ofl and cleaned without the necessity of removing the couplingfrom the transmitter.

What I- claim as my invention is:

As an article of manufacture, a metal fitting provided with ascrew-threaded portion for attachment to the front of a transmitter,said fitting having a diaphragm or transverse wall provided'with a slotfor a screw driver, and a glass mouth piece attached to said fitting.

Signed by me at Chicago, Illinois, this 28th day of July 1909.

PETER G. BURNS.

Coplesof this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

